XN000022-1992-07-16 — Page 5

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THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1992

SEM ON EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORT NO. 5

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THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, IN THE MOTION DEBATE ON EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORT NO. 5 AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY):

MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT,

MAY I FIRST, ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT, THANK THE EDUCATION COMMISSION FOR ITS FIFTH REPORT. AS EX-OFFICIO VICE-CHAIRMAN OF COMMISSION, I CAN PERSONALLY ATTEST TO THE DEDICATION AND HARD WORK OF ITS MEMBERS AND TO THE DEPTH OF THOUGHT AND INTENSITY OF DEBATE THAT HAVE GONE INTO THE PREPARATION OF ECR5. I AM SURE ALSO THAT MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COMMISSION WILL WISH ME TO SAY HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE TO OUR CHAIRMAN, MRS RITA FAN, FOR GUIDING US SO SKILFULLY THROUGH THE MAZE OF INTER-LOCKING ISSUES TO ARRIVE AT A STRATEGIC VIEW OF THE. IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED BY AND FOR OUR TEACHING FORCE.

UNIVERSAL EDUCATION HAS BROUGHT INTO THE CLASSROOM PUPILS FROM MORE DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, WITH A WIDER RANGE OF SCHOLASTIC ABILITY AND MOTIVATION. THIS HAS MADE TEACHING MORE DIFFICULT THAN EVER. THE COMMISSION'S PREVIOUS REPORT, ECR4, ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM. NEW INITIATIVES WERE RECOMMENDED ΤΟ IMPROVE THE CURRICULUM, ENHANCE COUNSELLING, SET ATTAINMENT TARGETS AND RATIONALIZE THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION. THESE HAVE BECOME POLICY AND ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED. BUT THE BACKBONE OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM, THE LINCHPIN TO MAKE ALL THESE IMPROVEMENTS WORK, CONTINUES TO BE THE TEACHER. FACED WITH INCREASINGLY COMPLEX TASKS, HE OR SHE REQUIRES CONSTANT UPGRADING OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, AS WELL AS SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION NOT ONLY FROM THE GOVERNMENT BUT ALSO FROM PRINCIPALS, PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

PARADOXICALLY, OUR VERY ECONOMIC SUCCESS HAS TENDED ΤΟ MAKE TEACHING LESS ATTRACTIVE AS A CAREER AT A TIME WHEN THE DEMANDS PLACED ON OUR TEACHERS, BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY, ARE AT THEIR GREATEST. EXPANDING AVAILABILITY OF DEGREE PLACES AND GOOD PROSPECTS FOR EMPLOYMENT IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY HAVE GIVEN YOUNG SCHOOL- LEAVERS AN INCREASING ARRAY OF CHOICES AND MADE A TEACHING CAREER LOOK RELATIVELY LESS ATTRACTIVE. A WAY MUST BE FOUND TO MAKE A TEACHING CAREER MORE WORTHWHILE, FOR WE NEED TEACHERS WITH THE RIGHT QUALITIES AND ATTITUDES ΤΟ WHOM WE CAN ENTRUST THE EDUCATION OF OUR NEXT

GENERATION.

THIS IS WHAT ECR5 HAS SOUGHT TO DO. IT PROPOSES A PACKAGE то IMPROVE THE PREPARATION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS AND TO REMOVE DISINCENTIVES TO PROMISING YOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN TEACHING.

/THE PACKAGE

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